Debris deflector for swimming pools



April 5, 1966 c. A. SHAFFER 3,244,284

DEBRIS-DEFLECTOR FOR SWIMMING POOLS Filed Oct. 8, 1962 IN VEN TOR. 67/424 5 A. jHAFFA-R United States Patent 3,244,284 DEBRlS-DEFLECTOR FOR SWIMMING POOLS Charles A. Shaffer. 10818 Loch Avon Drive, Whittier, Calif.

Filed Oct. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 228,863 4 Claims. (Cl. 210121) This invention relates to means of deflecting debris in swimming pools to direct the same toward a discharge area or device ordinarily provided for receiving debris.

It is common that the jets or water inlet means of the pool set up currents that act to retain debris, such as leaves, twigs, and the like in a closed circulating current. This circuit or circuits keep such debris in continuous circulation with but little opportunity to be drawn into skimmer devices located in a wall of the pool and thus out of the normal circulating path of debris floating on the surface of the water. When such currents are disturbed by occupants of the pool, portions of this debris will be drawn into the skimmer, but pools, when unoccupied, soon set up closed-circuit currents resulting in highly inefficient debris removal.

An object of the present invention is to provide novel and improved means to interrupt or intercept these currents and to direct the same toward a skimmer provided in a wall of the pool thereby insuring that most, if not all, surface. debris is quickly directed to the skimmer.

Another object of the invention is to provide means that floats on the surface of the pool water and is so located across the surface currents as to direct debris, by deflecting the same from said currents, into a skimmer or other disposal means.

This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description and which is based on the accompanying drawing. However, said drawing merely show, and the following description merely describes, one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a swimming pool provided with the present debris-deflector.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged and broken cross-sectional view, showing said deflector in operative position.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged broken plan sectional view, as taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 1 shows a generally conventional swimming pool 5, in a wall 6 of which is provided a skimmer 7 that has the purpose of receiving debris floating on the surface 8 of the pool and disposing of the same. The skimmer that is shown has an opening 9 in the wall 6 that opens on a well 10. The usual skimmer weir and outlet are not shown, since the same are not concerned with the invention which deflects debris on the water surface through said opening 10. In the usual manner, the pool is provided with a circumscribing coping 11 which, ordinarily projects inward from the pool walls, as shown in FIG. 2. It is also conventional to supply filtered water from a jet or jets 12, at the shallow end of the pool, such inflow usually establishing a top current in the pool that regardless of the shape of the pool, has a generally closed circuit that is modified by variations in the pool shape. It is also conventional to supply Water to the pool by a jet or jets 13 at the deeper end of the pool to establish a deep cur- 3,244,284 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 2 rent. The present invention comprises a deflector device 14 that interrupts the top current in such manner the coping 11 at the skimmer 7, a buoyancy slide tube 16 mounted on the component 15 and extending downward in the skimmer 7, and a deflector bar 17 connected to the tube 16 for free floating movement according to the level of water in the pool. Said level varies according to the number of persons occupying the same. The floating connection between tube 16 and bar 17, allows the latter to seek its level of buoyancy most efllcient for intercepting debris.

The mounting component 15 is shown as a member of flat spring material that is formed to comprise a clip 18 that has snap retention engagement with the coping 11 but can easily be removed, if desired. A return-bent portion 19 on the lower part of said clip terminates in a downwardly directed end 20. A clamp 21 has a pivotal connection 22 with said end 20, the axis of the pivot being horizontal when the component 15 is aflixed to the pool coping.

The slide tube 16, preferably of plastic or comparable composition, is engaged at its top end by the clamp 21, the same being adapted to be rotationally oriented with respect to the axis of the pivot 22 so the vertical slots 23 in said tube may be rotationally positioned with respect to the pivot.

The deflector bar 17 is here shown as a plastic tubular member that is permanently closed at its inner end 24, provided with a closure cap 25 at its outer end (FIG. 1) and according to the span across the pool from wall 6 to the opposite wall 6a, is formed of suitable sections 26 that are connected by collars 27. Adjacent its inner end, the deflector bar is provided with a transverse guide tube 28 that freely and slidingly received the slide tube 16.

The bar 17 is connected to the tube 16 by a pin 29 that extends through the slots 23 in tube 16 and transversely across the guide tube 28.

The deflector bar is provided with a breather tube 30 that is parallel to the guide tube 28 and extends upwardly from the upper side of the bar to have its open end well above the water level 8. This tube 30 allows the hollow bar to breathe to obviate pressure as may be caused by changes in water and air temperatures, thereby insuring buoyancy of the bar with freedom to raise and lower as the water level varies.

FIG. 1 shows the bar 14 at to the pool wall 6, but it will permits of a normal or other angular disposition of the bar 14. With the capped end of the bar suitably spaced from the opposite wall 6a, the top or surface currents 31 set up by the jet or jets 12 will flow around the end of the bar. Any debris floating with these currents will be deflected by the bar along a path 31a into the skimmer 7. Return portions 32 of the top current will join the main top current to clear the pool surface of floating debris even when the pool is unoccupied. The deep current 33 will be unaffected by the deflector means.

While the present device is shown as applied to a pool having a recessed skimmer, by varying the form of the onto the tube of a cup-type skimmer instead of the coping, the bar 17 may be held in the position with respect to the receiving cup of a cup-type skimmer.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope an angle other than normal be clear that the clamp 21 of the invention. Therefore, it is not desired to restrict 2. A debris-deflector according to claim 1 in which the the invention to the particular form of construction illusbar comprises a hollow tube closed at both ends and protrated and described, but to cover all modifications that vided with a breather tube extending above the surface may fall within the scope of the appended claims. of the pool Water on which the bar floats.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed 5 3. A debris-deflector according to claim 1 in which a and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: horizontal pivot connects the clamp and the vertical cyl. A debris-deflector for a swimming pool having a lindrical member. debris skimmer and comprising: 4. A debris-deflector according to claim 3 in which a (a) a clamp for removable engagement with a part second clamp is rotationally adjustably connected to the of the pool adjacent the skimmer, 10 vertical member, said second clamp being connected to (b) a cylindrical member extending vertically from the first-mentioned clamp by said pivot.

said clamp, (c) an elongated and horizontal buoyant deflector bar, References Cited y the Examiner (d) a sliding connection between said vertical member UNITED STATES PATENTS and the end of the bar that is ad acent to the skim- 15 48,841 7/1865 Scovme X mer, whereby said bar is buoyantly movable 1n the 1 1,213,624 1/1917 Glenn 210-242 pool vertically along the member, and 1,397,891 11/1921 Jones 210-242 A (e) a fixed transverse tube through the deflector bar and into which the vertical cylindrical member ex- 2/1925 Hartley et a1 210542 tands 2,228,529 1/1941 Moeller 210-242 29 3,152,076 10/1964 Kreutzer 210-540 X (f) said sliding connection comprising a slot in the vertical member and a cross pin carried by said tube of REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner. the deflector bar and extending through said slot, said member and bar, thereby, being nonrotationally HARRY THORNTON Exammer' connected. F. MEDLEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEBRIS-DEFLECTOR FOR SWIMMING POOL HAVING A DEBRIS SKIMMER AND COMPRISING: (A) A CLAMP FOR REMOVABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH A PART OF THE POOL ADJACENT THE SKIMMER, (B) A CYLINDRICAL MEMBER EXTENDING VERTICALLY FROM SAID CLAMP, (C) AN ELONGATED AND HORIZONTAL BUOYANT DEFLECTOR BAR, (D) A SLIDING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID VERTICAL MEMBER AND THE END OF THE BAR THAT IS ADJACENT TO THE SKIMMER, WHEREBY SAID BAR IS BUOYANTLY MOVABLE IN THE POOL VERTICALLY ALONG THE MEMBER AND (E) A FIXED TRANSVERSE TUBE THROUGH THE DEFLECTOR BAR AND INTO WHICH THE VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL MEMBER EXTENDS, (F) SAID SLIDING CONNECTION COMPRISING A SLOT IN THE VERTICAL MEMBER AND A CROSS PIN CARRIED BY SAID TUBE OF THE DEFLECTOR BAR AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT, SAID MEMBER AND BAR, THEREBY, BEING NONROTATIONALLY CONNECTED. 